PA DS is starting Kindergarten next week, and I STILL haven't spoken to his teacher!! She's been on mat leave for a year, and yesterday was suppose to be her first day back. I called around 1 (I was out of town in the am), and was told she had left for a Drs appt, I left a message and didn't hear back. I really hope to hear from her today, I'll call back mid morning if I haven't. I had spoken to the principal at length last year, but he has since retired. Maybe I should just go to the school and talk to the new principal?

Until I have a firm sense of what will be going on, as well as permission to have an epipen in the classroom (generally kept only in the office) he won't be starting school. I've been on this since last year and still haven't gotten anywhere.

I don't think it's intentional, the school has a very good reputation, but with the teacher being on leave and the change in principal I wasn't able to clarify anything during the last school year.

Make an appointment with the principal. This is the person who generally makes the policies and arranges for training. In our school, we don't even find out who the teacher will be until the first day of school. Besides, with union rules, it may be difficult to arrange for teachers to meet prior to the first day of school.

Make sure that the school knows of the allergies and emergency procedures, has the autoinjector and contact information, find out where they keep it and ensure it isn't locked up. Ask about restricting the exposure to the allergen. Will they ban peanuts? Will they limit eating to certain rooms? How will the rooms be cleaned to avoid exposure? (Some schools washed the desks after lunch when the students are in the school yard).

These questions can't be answered by the teacher. You can ask that the teacher meet with or at least all you before your son starts school. Many schools have a staggered start for Kindergarten. You may want to keep him home for a week or so until you have addressed all of your concerns.

I think it is also very important to speak with the teacher directly. This is the person who will be caring for your child directly. Do you have an "intake meeting" before your child begins school? Staggered entry? If not, maybe consider keeping your child at home the first day and meeting with the teacher afterschool on the first day. Good luck. (I am stressing out about school too!)

Gem, I can see your point to talking to the teacher but I think that as Becky is Alberta, she needs to discuss the anaphylaxis policy with the principal, too. Here in Ontario, we have Bill 3 which outlines roles and responsibilities regarding the development of policies and procedures to ensure student safety. In Alberta, they don't have the same legislation.

Given the “safe and caring” provision of Alberta’s School Act (45. and the safety and emergency response provisions of Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, combined with the legal construct that a school has a duty of care towards its students, it is evident that Alberta’s school boards operate under a legal and ethical framework that requires them to adopt policies and practices that create a safe environment for all individuals attending or employed at jurisdiction schools.

I met with the teacher today, she's very nice and grew up with a younger PA brother, so she 'gets it'. She's really pushing the school to go nut free, although it isn't likely, and has met with a lot of resistance about having epipens in the classroom.

Thanks for the link to the ASBA, this is highly applicable, since his school wants them in a locked cabinet in the office. She will keep one in the classroom, but may end up having to lock it although she'll try not to.

emphasis mine:
"Children at Risk
Allergic children who have been diagnosed as being at risk of anaphylaxis should:

• Have one auto-injector with the child’s name on it, kept in a readily available location which is unlocked (preferably carried on the person).

• Be encouraged to carry their own auto-injector when age appropriate.

• Be discouraged from eating if they do not have an auto-injector with them."

Before the students begin they should be told about the PA. On the first day of school the parents could send a snack and without being told and if not allergy aware they might not think of it.

Before my daughter's PA and TreeNut Allergy she had a Kindergarten classmate with PA --- the parents had the Principal send a letter and I think they also kept her home the first day just in case (her PA is airborne). One of her parents went on every field trip for years.

She carried her epi-pen in a pouch that said "I Carry Epi-pen" so it was obvious --- especially if someone else got their hands on it (which happened to my daughter in grade 1). The office also had a spare in an unlocked cupboard. Those spares are taken on field trips too.

They asked parents that year not to bring in snacks for birthdays and instead had them buy a book for the school library that got a special sticker "Donated by Emily on her Birthday"

_________________me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

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